I fabricated myths to guide the revival of spiritual energy.

Deep within the internet, an encrypted chat room accessible only through specific nodes.

Time: 02:45 AM

While most people are asleep, the dark corners of the online world are buzzing with excitement. A tsunami of traffic is raging there.

User [Eating Melon Spectator 007]: "Holy crap! Did you guys see that? That trending topic on Weibo, 'Biomutation in Linjiang,' only lasted for less than three minutes!"

User [Rational Emperor]: "It's definitely gone. It would be strange if the Cyberspace Administration of China didn't block such a panic-inducing headline. It's most likely fake; you all know about current AI drawing technology. They start with an image, and the rest is all made up."

User [Internal Message (Admin)]: "Ha, fake? Fabricated? If it were really fabricated, why would it be blocked so thoroughly across the entire internet?"

User [Deep Sea Fish]: "Does the admin know something? Stop keeping me in suspense!"

User [Internal Message]: "I risked my life to post this picture. It's a 'destroy after viewing' message, only lasting ten seconds. First come, first served."

[File sent: IMG_2024_TOPSECRET_LEAK.jpg]

The chat group fell silent instantly. Dozens of online users were frantically clicking on that image.

It was an extremely blurry photo, clearly taken hastily with a mobile phone, showing a computer screen. The shadow of the photographer's trembling fingers could even be seen at the edge of the screen.

Although the image quality is poor, with most of it obscured by pixelation, the official document text and a few key data points are still faintly discernible:

"...Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP)...Sample source: Linjiang Backwater Bay Blockade Area..."

"...An unanalyzable, unknown high-energy particle (tentative name: X-spirit particle)..."

"...has a significant activity-enhancing effect on carbon-based organisms...breaking the laws of thermodynamics..."

The photo only existed for ten seconds before being automatically deleted.

The group chat was silent for a moment, then it exploded.

User [spectator 007]: "!!!"

User [Deep Sea Fish]: "The Institute of High Energy Physics? That's the national team! Academician Yang Dingbang is in charge there! What does 'promoting bioactivity' mean? Is it the 'rejuvenation' that's been circulating online?"

User [Rational Emperor]: "...If even the Institute of Physics has endorsed it, then...could it really be true?"

User [Internal Message]: "My second uncle's neighbor is a SWAT officer in Linjiang. He got drunk last night and cried to me, saying that the grass by the river that night grew as tall as trees, like plants from the demon realm. And... they saw a dragon. Not a projection, but a real dragon, and its eyes almost scared him to death."

[System notification: This group has been permanently banned for allegedly spreading prohibited information.]

The screen went black, and the chat box disappeared instantly.

Such confidential information could only be leaked through Gu Qing's hands. This is just one corner of the internet; more information, both true and false, is brewing...

[China Cybersecurity Center, Monitoring Hall]

The place was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was as tense as a wartime command post.

On the massive display wall composed of thousands of screens, red alarm lights flashed one after another.

The sound of keyboards clattering was as dense as a torrential downpour. Hundreds of reviewers, with dark circles under their eyes, stared intently at their screens, working in conjunction with the super AI in the background to conduct a thorough cleanup of information across the entire internet.

"Report! Search volume for keywords such as 'Linjiang,' 'Locked Dragon Well,' 'mutation,' and 'X-particle' has surged by 500% in the past hour!"

"Suppress it! Limit all traffic!"

"It's no use, team leader! We can't stop them! They've started using pinyin abbreviations, code words, and reversed images!"

"Someone even hid that report in the product descriptions on 'secondhand trading' platforms like Xianyu!"

This is a war without gunfire.

The authorities are trying to put the "abnormal" in check in order to maintain social stability.

But human curiosity is the hardest thing in the world to be contained. The more it is shielded, the more mysterious it becomes; and the more mysterious it is, the more people will believe it.

A phenomenon known as the "Straissander effect" is brewing—what you try to cover up will eventually become public knowledge.

……

[Linjiang City, Gu Family Old House, Study]

Gu Qing sat in front of the computer, watching the "404 Not Found" pages popping up on the screen and the online discussions that roamed around like guerrillas, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

"The authorities are working very hard."

"But it was precisely because of their efforts that I completed the most important piece of the 'myth' puzzle—authoritative endorsement."

Without such a drastic official blockade, most people would have just thought it was a clumsy prank.

But now, the lockdown has proven the fear.

And fear proved it to be true.

Gu Qing tapped her fingers lightly on the table, making a rhythmic "tap-tap" sound.

"However, the current online environment is too chaotic."

"Everyone is speculating, spreading rumors, and even all sorts of outrageous stories are emerging. Some say it's aliens, others say it's a biohazard crisis. This is detrimental to the concentration of faith."

Trust originates from cognition.

Only when people's understanding is unified and points to the concepts of "cultivating immortality" and "the revival of spiritual energy" will the resulting faith be the purest and most efficient.

"I need to give them a 'home'."

"A platform that the authorities can't delete or block, a platform that allows 'awakeners' to exchange ideas, unify their thoughts, and continuously contribute their credibility to me."

Gu Qing closed his eyes and communicated with the system in his mind.

"System, consuming Trust Points."

"Construct a special network node: [Cultivation Network]".

"Setting characteristics:"

Quantum encryption relies on the system's computing power and cannot be tracked, located, or shut down by existing Earth network technologies. At the physical level, it does not exist on any server.

Inspiration Filtering: Setting up a 'spiritual firewall'. Only those whose mental strength reaches a certain threshold, or who subconsciously yearn for the 'extraordinary', can find the entry point on page 404 of the search engine, or in some error pop-up.

Visual deception: To the average person or a malicious regulator, it appears to be just a regular retro web game forum.

[Command confirmed.]

[Overwriting the underlying network protocol...]

【The Cultivation Network】has quietly launched.

……

[A male dormitory at a university in southern China]

Wang Pangzi is a seasoned fan of fantasy novels and also a hacking enthusiast with mediocre technical skills.

Tonight, he was frantically searching the internet for any clues about the Linjiang incident, but to no avail; all the access routes had been cut off.

"Damn, this is a really tight block. The more it's blocked, the more I want to see it!"

Fatty Wang grumbled as he prepared to shut down his computer and go to sleep.

Just then, his mouse accidentally touched a strange piece of gibberish in the corner of the browser.

The expected "sexy dealer dealing cards online" pop-up window did not appear, so we missed it.

The screen suddenly flickered and turned into a chaotic gray tone, as if ink were spreading in clear water.

A line of ancient, vigorous, and indescribably grand ink-wash characters slowly emerged:

[Millet rained from the sky, and ghosts wept in the night.]

When mythology becomes reality, will you choose to remain asleep, or open your eyes to the real world?

There are two options below:

[Entering the World] / [Sinking]

"Virus?" Fatty Wang was stunned for a moment, but his chuunibyou spirit, fueled by reading too many novels, instantly ignited.

As if by some strange twist of fate, he clicked on "Enter the World".

The images flow.

A forum with an extremely simple design, no GG (Google or Google Ads), and a background of flowing clouds and mist appeared before my eyes.

The forum is currently quite empty, with only one pinned post by user ID: 【崑仑道人】.

Posting time: 00:00.

Post Title: "Some Popular Science and Warnings Regarding Recent Anomalies in the Qi of Heaven and Earth (with Basic Qi-Inducing Methods)"

Wang Pangzi's heart raced, and he clicked on the post with trembling hands.

The content is brief, consisting of only a few paragraphs, yet every word is precious:

"I am Kunlun, a humble Taoist priest. Seeing the recent changes in Linjiang, which have caused widespread panic, I have written this post to set the record straight."

"It is not the work of evil spirits, but a sign of the revival of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth (what the authorities call X particles)."

"Beneath the Dragon-Locking Well lies nothing more than an ancient 'earthly eye.' Due to the loosening of the seal, a wisp of spiritual energy was leaked, causing plants and trees to become spirits and all beasts to become restless."

"This is just the beginning."

"A great era of contention is approaching. Heaven and earth will reopen, and all things will compete. Those with the right opportunity will feel the flow of vital energy, which will strengthen their bodies; those without the opportunity will still enjoy peace and tranquility."

"Remember: Although spiritual energy is good, mortal bodies cannot withstand it. Do not go to places with abundant spiritual energy (such as the riverside blockade area) without guidance, otherwise you will suffer from mental confusion at best, and death by explosion at worst."

[Attachment: Incomplete Chapter of the Breathing and Qi Sensing Techniques]

"Calm your mind, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, and focus your attention on your lower abdomen..."

Fatty Wang was dumbfounded.

This writing style... this level of sophistication... if it were on a novel website, he wouldn't even glance at it.

But considering the news from the past two days, the "Truth of Linjiang" that was banned across the entire internet, and this strange webpage that can't be shut down no matter what...

"Could it... be true?"

He swallowed hard, and following the so-called "Breathing and Sensing Techniques," sat cross-legged on the chair and tried to adjust his breathing.

Inhale... Pause... Exhale...

I was just trying it out for fun.

But a few minutes later, Fatty Wang suddenly felt a faint, warm current rising in his lower abdomen!

Although this was largely due to the faint "true message" that Gu Qing had included in the post, combined with the extremely thin spiritual energy in the air that had just begun to recover because of the Dragon Locking Well incident, plus the physiological reaction produced by Wang Pangzi's own strong psychological suggestion.

But in Fatty Wang's eyes, this was a miracle!

"Holy crap?!"

Fatty Wang suddenly jumped up, knocking over the chair.

"I've sensed Qi! I'm a genius! I'm going to cultivate immortality!!"

His hands trembled with excitement as he typed a reply below the post:

ID[Fat Master Wants to Cultivate Immortality]: "OP, you're amazing! I really feel it! My stomach feels warm! Am I the chosen one?! Please take me as your disciple!"

Soon, a second and a third reply appeared below.

ID[Sword Qi Endures]: "I felt it too! My god, this website hasn't been blocked? I just tried sending the URL to a friend, and it was all garbled text!"

ID[Linjiang Native]: "I have photos from the scene! That dragon is real! Are you perhaps a legendary reclusive master?"

……

[The Gu Family Old House, Study]

Gu Qing looked at the backend data.

In just half an hour, the number of registered users on [Cultivation Network] has exceeded one hundred, and it is still growing exponentially.

Although the number of people is small at present, these are all seed users who have been "inspiration-filtered".

They are the seeds of the future spread of mythology, and also the most fervent believers.

The administrator account named "Kunlun Daoren" was naturally Gu Qing's alternate account.

"The first batch of believers have joined the network."

Gu Qing looked at the number of clicks on the "Breathing and Sensing Qi Technique".

This isn't some profound cultivation technique at all; it's just a set of deep breathing exercises Gu Qing created by combining Taoist qigong and psychology. Practicing it can indeed improve physical health and calm the mind, but it will absolutely not lead to immortality.

However, that's not important.

The important thing is—they believe it.

As long as they practice, as long as they firmly believe that they are absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

Then the faith they generate will continuously converge on Gu Qing.

Furthermore, once Gu Qing has accumulated enough faith, he can use the system to materialize this "fake cultivation method" into a "real cultivation method" and return it to them.

This is—crowdfunding for immortal cultivation.

At this moment, the system panel in front of Gu Qing began to flash wildly.

[System Prompt:]

[The occurrence of "group cultivation behavior" has been detected.]

The lie is being proven true by "practice".

[The credibility score has begun to increase significantly...]

Gu Qing glanced out the window.

The darkness before dawn is the deepest, but golden flames burn in his eyes.

He could feel countless invisible threads in the void connecting to his body.

That is faith, longing, and power.

"very good."

Gu Qing took a deep breath, and the immense power made every cell in his body cheer with joy.

"My current reserves of faith are enough for me to push open that door to the 'extraordinary'."